Though it bears a striking resemblance to the Editors' Choice HP Pavilion dv7-4183cl ($999.99 list, 4 stars), the HP Pavilion dv7-4272us ($869.98 list, at Staples) desktop replacement has a mix of characteristics that combine entertainment and daily functionality but leave it a half-step behind the reigning champ in processor dependent tasks.

Design
In terms of appearance, the Pavilion dv7-4272us bears a strong resemblance to the HP dv7-4183cl. It has the same aluminum chassis, with an identical laser etched design stretched across the lid and palmrest. It has the same chiclet keyboard and number pad as the dv7-4183cl, and a wide clickpad, though the multitouch support was improved from the previous iteration. Unlike the touchpad on the HP dv7-4183cl, which was marred by problems with sensitivity and poor multitouch implementation, the current iteration benefits from a driver update, and worked simply and smoothly for me.

The 17.3-inch screen has HP's BrightView LED display, and 1,600 by 900 resolution, which can playback 720p high-definition video, but not the full 1080p picture available on Blu-ray. When paired with the Beats Audio enhanced sound system (which includes an integrated subwoofer) and the included Blu-ray optical drive, the Pavilion dv7-4272us becomes a viable entertainment laptop. The speakers did well even at high volume, putting out clear treble and decent bass while shuffling through songs on Pandora.

The Pavilion dv7-4272 isn't entirely identical to the dv7-4183cl, however. While they share the same 11- by 16-inch footprint, the dv7-4272 is thicker and heavier than the dv7-4183cl, measuring 1.46 inches thick and weighing 8.19-poundsmore than a pound heavier, in part because of its discrete graphics processor. This 8.19-pound weight is nearly identical to other 17-inch media centers, like the Dell XPS 17 (8.1 lbs).

Features
The Blu-ray drive is nice touch, but marred by the fact that the display isn't 1080p. That said, the laptop also has full 1080p output when connected to an HDTV through the built in HDMI port. If you want to connect a second monitor, there is also a standard VGA port.

The 750GB 5,400rpm hard drive is a step up in terms of capacity from the 500GB offered in the dv7-4183cl, but a step backward in terms of speed. While you won't likely see a difference in your day to day performance, the slower read/write speeds will have an impact when installing programs and copying large files to and from the drive.

The Pavilion dv7-4272us also sports a respectable array of ports. There are four USB 2.0 ports; one of them is a USB/eSATA combo port, which can provide high speed data transfer for, say, an external hard drive. A multi-format memory card reader lets you pull photos and data from a variety of flash memory formats (SD, MS/Pro, MMC, XD).

There is a handful of software samples and applications pre-installed, including a 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security, a collection of game samples, an ebook application, and a desktop link to eBay. Compared with the bloatware found on other laptops, the smattering of programs found on the Pavilion is less intrusive, but it's still an annoyance you'll need to deal with.

Customers who buy this system from Staples can avail themselves of several services the retailer offers. This includes setting the new system up, data transfer from your old PC to your new one, software installation, and tech support and protection plans that range in price from $14.99 to $169.99.

Performance
The dv7-4272us comes equipped with an AMD Phenom II X3 P860 processor, which offers strong performance, but is generally a step behind comparable Intel CPUs. The difference is clearest in the PCMark Vantage benchmark scores. The dv7-4272us scored 4,456, which is similar to the 4,185 points scored by the AMD-equipped Toshiba Satellite A665D-S5175 ($799.99 List, 3 stars). Contrast this with the 6,227 scored by the Acer Aspire TimelineX AS4820TG-7805 ($800 List, 4 stars), which uses an Intel Core i5 processor, and it's clear that the AMD processor used in the dv7-4272us is a compromise to keep the price low.

The dv7-4272us performed well in our graphics tests, thanks to a discrete AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6370 graphics card. The AMD Phenom II X3 P860 processor also has its own integrated graphics processor, and the Pavilion dv7-4272us switches to it when unplugged in order to conserve battery life.

In our 3DMark benchmark test, which renders video game style animations, it scored 4,261 at medium settings and 2,705 when set to higher resolution. This puts it right in line with the dv7-4183cl, which also has an AMD graphics card, and scored 4,722 (at Medium settings) and 2,831 (at High settings). Other computers in this category often rely on integrated graphics, where the main processor also shoulders the burden of processing graphics. The Acer Aspire TimelineX AS5820T-5951 ($723 street, 4 stars), for example, uses this alternative, and scored 1,879 (Medium) and 1,603 (High) in the same test. While best seen in gaming performance, the discrete graphics will also improve performance in any application that has a strong visual element.

The discrete AMD graphics also lend themselves to better gaming support. At medium resolution, the dv7-4272us put out 27 frame per second (fps) in Crysis, and 18.7 fps in Lost Planet 2, results that are nearly identical to the HP dv7-4183cl. Other media centers, like the Acer Aspire TimelineX AS5820T-5951, wouldn't even run the tests.

When it comes to multimedia performance, the dv7-4272us is a mixed bag. Our Photoshop benchmark test runs through a scripted series of image filters to simulate the strain that photo editing puts on both processor and memory. The dv7-4272us completed this test in 8 minutes 27 seconds. Comparable desktop replacement laptops generally complete the test considerably fasterthe Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6085 ($799.98 list, 4 stars) completed it in 5:40, and the HP dv7-4183cl in 4:56.

On our HandBrake video encoding test, however, the performance was more in line with similar laptops. The dv7-4272us finished the test in 3 minutes 48 seconds, beating the HP dv7-4183cl (5:31) and coming within striking distance of the Toshiba Satellite A665D-S6085 (3:13).

While the performance of the dv7-4272us is shaky in some areas, it does well in battery life. Thanks to a big 9-cell (93 Wh) battery, it can go nearly seven hours (6:57) on a single charge, letting you work a full dayeven if you left the charger at home. Not every desktop replacement laptop can make the seven-hour mark. The Toshiba A665D-S6085 lasted only 3:25, and the HP dv7-4183cl topped out at 6 hours.

There's little doubt that the HP Pavilion dv7-4272us is a solid laptop for entertainment and day-to-day use. If you want the best in the category, however, the Editors' Choice HP Pavilion dv7-4183cl is still the media desktop replacement laptop to beat with its lighter weight, Intel Core i5 processor, and better performance across the board.

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Brian Westover is an Analyst for the Hardware Team, reviewing laptops, desktops, and storage devices.
As a child, Brian was frequently asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" His answer alternated between Superman and Batman. This was cute when he was five, but worrisome at seventeen. Naturally, he is now a journalist, writing about technology and gadgets.
Brian has been writing professionally since 2007, and his work has appeared in business newsletters, websites, textbooks, and magazines. He earned his degree in Communications from...
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